Professional Med J 2016;23(4): 499-503. www.theprofesional.com TONSILLECTOMY IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATION 499 The Professional Medical Journal www.theprofesional.com TONSILLECTOMY IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATION; COMPARISON OF BIPOLAR ELECTROCAUTRY AND COLD DISSECTION METHOD Dr. Raheel Ahmad 1 , Dr. Farhan Salam 2 , Dr. Abdul Saeed Khan 3 , Dr. Faisal Bashir 4 , Dr. Atif Rafque 5 ORIGINAL PROF-3296 ABSTRACT… Objectives: To compare mean operative time and Intra operative blood loss between bipolar electro dissection and cold dissection tonsillectomy in paediatric population. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration: Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Continental Medical College, Hospital Lahore, from 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2015. Materials and Methods: This study included 164 patients of age group 4 to 12 years of either gender undergoing tonsillectomy. The patients were divided into two equal groups designated as A and B each having 82 patients using simple random sampling. Patients in group A were operated for tonsillectomy by bipolar electrocautry while group B underwent tonsillectomy by cold steel dissection method. All patients in both groups were assessed for operating time and intra-operative blood loss. Results: Out of 82 cases of Bipolar Dissection Group 49(60%) patients were male and 33(40%) patients were female. Whereas in 82 cases of Cold Dissection Group 51(62%) patients were male and 31(38%) patients were female. Mean age of patients was 7.2(SD ± 1.97) years. Mean operation time was 15 minutes with standard deviation ± 1.21 in group A as compared to group B where mean operation time was 20 minutes with standard deviation ± 1.87. Mean blood loss was 7 ml with standard deviation ± 2.53 in patients of group A as compared to Patients in group B who mean blood loss of 30 ml with standard deviation ± 3.46. Group A had statistically signifcant lower operative time and blood loss than group B. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy with bipolar electro dissection method is much better than cold steel dissection method. It has an advantage of less blood loss during surgery. It signifcantly reduces intra operative time. Key words: Operative time, blood loss, Bipolar electro dissection, cold dissection, tonsillectomy. 1. FCPS, Assistant Professor ENT Department, Continental Medical College, Hospital Lahore. 2. FCPS, Senior Registrar ENT Unit Kuwait Teaching Hospital, Peshawar KPK. 3. DLO, FCPS, Assistant Professor ENT Department, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. 4. DLO, FCPS, Assistant Professor, ENT Department Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Medical College, Divisional Head Quarter Teaching Hospital, Mir Pur AJK Correspondence Address: Dr. Raheel Ahmad FCPS, Assistant Professor ENT Department, Continental Medical College, Hospital Lahore. drrahil1@gmail.com Article received on: 17/02/2016 Accepted for publication: 20/03/2016 Received after proof reading: 12/04/2016 Article Citation: Ahmad R, Salam F, Bashir F. Tonsillectomy in paediatric population; comparison of bipolar electrocautry and cold dissection method. Professional Med J 2016;23(4):499-503. DOI: 10.17957/TPMJ/16.3296 INTRODUCTION Tonsillectomy is one of the commonest otolaryngological procedure performed representing approximately 20%-40% of surgical procedures performed in this feld. 1 The frst known tonsillectomy was performed by Cornelius Celsus with fngernails 2000 years ago. 2 The earliest description of the procedure was by Paul of Aegina in 625. In the mid-eighteenth century Caque of Rheims performed tonsillectomies on a regular basis. 3 Tonsillectomy has a post-operative course which encompasses signifcant morbidity and potential complications. Throughout the years, investigators and surgeons have developed new techniques for tonsillectomy aiming to decrease post-operative morbidity and complications. Ideally, tonsillectomy should be fast, bloodless and associated with rapid and uneventful recovery. 4 Various surgical procedures are used to perform this operation, including blunt dissection, guillotine excision, electrocautry, cryosurgery, coblation, ultrasonic removal, laser removal, monopolar and bipolar dissection, thermal welding tonsillectomy and ligature tonsillectomy. 5 These techniques have evolved over the years aiming to make the procedure safe and decrease the postoperative morbidity and complications. Two most commonly used techniques are cold dissection and electro dissection. 6 The most common technique used for removing tonsils in the United States today is DOI: 10.17957/TPMJ/16.3296